Brunel library opens amid protests

The broadcaster Lord Melvyn Bragg last night told protesting lecturers at Brunel University that had they formed a picket line he would not have crossed it to open a new library at the institution.

Members of the Association of University Teachers at Brunel had asked Lord Bragg to withdraw from the opening of the Bannerman Centre in protest at the university's decision to axe up to 60 jobs, 30 of which are understood to be compulsory redundancies, something largely unheard of in universities.

Brunel's former director of services, Sheila Bannerman, after whom the centre is named, added her support to the protest. She told the AUT delegation that was demonstrating at yesterday's opening that during her time as a staff representative she would probably have been the one organising the protest.

The redundancies are expected to be among lecturers who are not considered "research active" in a move by the university to boost its research output ahead of the next research assessment exercise, expected in 2008. The cuts amount to almost one in eight of the academic staff and are likely to affect all academic schools.

The AUT is set to ballot its members over industrial action, which could lead to strikes, in the next few weeks. It has condemned Brunel's vice-chancellor, Steven Schwartz, over his handling of the dispute.

The AUT's general secretary, Sally Hunt, said today: "The AUT is pressing ahead with its ballot of members at Brunel, but it's still not too late for Prof Schwartz to withdraw the threat of compulsory redundancies.

"That threat in a British university is almost unprecedented and Prof Schwartz should be under no illusion as to the depth of anger and dismay that his actions have caused," she said.

Earlier this week, Brunel's pro-vice-chancellor for research, Chris Jenks, said the university had been consulting widely with staff and the AUT on the redundancies since last September to ensure an "open and constructive dialogue".

A university spokeswoman said the actual number of redundancies was not expected to be announced until mid-March.